Rise for Climate Inspires Clean Energy Activism Across the Nation

This past Saturday, Sept 8th, passionate people across the country came out to Rise for Climate, joining a global day of action that was created to inspire grassroots leadership and legislative change towards renewable energy. Seventh Generation was proud to be there, both with our neighbors in our home state of Vermont and with the over 30,000 activists that took to the streets in San Francisco, California to stand up for clean energy. These climate rallies hope to inspire others to consider renewable energy solutions for their respective cities.

At Seventh Generation, we’re committed to the long-term health of people and planet, which is why we’ve joined forces with The Sierra Club in the Ready for 100 Campaign, which is inspiring cities everywhere to switch to 100% clean, renewable energy to help decrease our impact on climate change. Over 80 cities have already taken the pledge, and more are joining every day.

The Vermont event took place on the State House lawn in Montpelier, Vermont.

Friends and families from Seventh Generation gathered with our neighbors at Ben and Jerrys, as well as other passionate members of the Vermont community, to show our support for combatting climate change and building a clean energy future.

The event was one for all ages, with families – and even some dogs – joining in on the fun. One of the most inspiring things was to see the next generation out experiencing this kind of climate activism first hand.

Our own Ashley Orgain, head of Mission and Advocacy, spoke about Seventh Generation’s commitment to renewable resources and the path towards a clean energy future. She spoke to her and Seventh Generation’s belief that “the biggest impact is going to come from systemic solutions to create a cleaner, healthier, brighter future. Moving away from the use of dirty fossil fuels, and towards clean, renewable energy.”

In San Francisco, Seventh Generation joined friends from the Sierra Club and Climate Parents in what was the largest climate rally the West Coast has ever seen.

Over 30,000 attendees met at Embarcadero Plaza and marched through downtown San Francisco.

Climate activist and Director and co-founder of Climate Parents, Lisa Hoyos, was there leading her organization with her two sons Kai and Cruz. Climate Parents is an organization dedicated to advocating for solutions to help reduce the impact of the effects of climate change on our environment and wellbeing.

The march ended at the San Francisco Civic Center where artists and children were invited to contribute to a large street mural made with charcoal from surrounding California areas affected by the wildfires.

Rise for Climate is an important and inspiring step forward, though we know there’s a lot of work to be done to achieve the clean energy future we seek—and that so many are fighting for. A broad shift to renewable energy will make a huge difference to the health of our climate, our communities, and most importantly—our children. Now, and for generations to come.

Join us, and the over 80 other cities in the US, by raising your voice. Tell your local leaders that you and your city are ready for 100% renewable energy.

Election Day is right around the corner and it will soon be time to head to the polls. We know that as you think about the well-being of your family and community, the health of our planet is top of mind, too. We’re right there with you.

On Thursday, September 13th in San Francisco, California, the night was alive with stories that put human faces on the push for clean, renewable energy solutions. In partnership with our friends at the Sierra Club, Seventh Generation co-hosted Generation Ready: an amazing evening of stories to amplify and grow Ready for 100: a revolutionary, grassroots campaign inspiring cities across the country to commit to 100% clean, renewable energy.

Climate change and the use of fossil fuels are not only making our planet sick, they’re affecting human health in some surprising ways—including asthma rates that just keep going up, and longer, sneezier allergy seasons. Even worse, kids – those least responsible for climate change – are being hit hardest.[1] To help protect them and future generations, we need to take action. That’s why Seventh Generation has joined forces with Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 Campaign: a movement to get cities to switch to 100% renewable energy. A switch to renewable energy means cleaner air and healthier kids.

As a company that is committed to considering our impact on the health of the next seven generations, we are incredibly disturbed by the current administration’s decision to pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement. There are several scary, negative consequences of this decision, but perhaps the most disturbing consequence will be on human health. From respiratory allergies and asthma, to poor water quality, and mosquito born illnesses like

When many of us were growing up in the 1980s and 1990s, our parents taught us about dangers of smoking, the importance of exercise (Jane Fonda, anyone?), and pressing environmental issues like acid rain and pollution.